Vehicle-coupling.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

"J. W. 'IMPE-GOVEN. VEHICLE COUPLING; I'P PLIGATIOH FILED MAR. 18. 1907.

FIG. 3. I

4 lwnwz'oa- JOHN W lMPECOl/EM W1 TJVESSES 19.5% a. 0. KW.

Brkid .urz-onwzz- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN IMPEGOVEN, OF KIDDER, SOUTH DAKOTA,

VEHICLE-COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John W. IMPECOVEN, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Kidder, in the county of Marshall and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Coupling, of which the follow ing is a. specification. 7

My invention relates to vehiclc couplings; and the object is to provide a. strong, convenient and reliable coupling by which a traction engine may be coupled to separators and other wheeled machines or vehicles to be drawn by the engine.

This and other objects I attain by the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accomponying drawing. in which Figure is a top or plan view of my improved coupling shown as applied .to couple together the rear portion of the tender of a traction engine and the front end of a tongue or pole of a separator or other vehicle. Fig. 2 is it side elevation of Fig. i. Fig. 3 is a detail top view of the guard 25 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, l designates the rear portion of the frame, 2 is the axle and 3 the wheels of the tender usually attached to the rear end of a traction engine. Said shaft 2 is provided with 21. clevis or.like contrivancc 4, by which other vehicles are drawn. 'lo said clevis l secure by a chain 5 of any desired length, a ring 7, which is adapted for engagement with the coupling fixed on the pole S of the threshing machine, separator or other vehicle to be drawn.

The coupling consist of a. inctallic frame piece 9 lixed on the end of the pole and having to its front end pivoted at 10 a curved, almost L-shapcd lever ll; in whose curve the ring 7 is held when the lever is folded rearwardly upon the pole. in the latter position the lever is held by a clcvis l2, pivoted at 13 to the beam and held by n link-rod .14 in the upright position in which it straddles the lever ll. The link-rod l4 is pivoted at 15 with its front end to the clcvis, and has its rear end pivoted at 20 to the depending curve .16 of a trip-lever l717", whose lowcr end is pivoted at 18 in a bracket l9 Iixcd upon the pole; said pivot joint 18 being vertically in a higher position than the joint 20 when the trip lever is resting upon the pole and also leans forwardly, the clevis l2 practically locked in its upright positionhgainst being thrown backward by jarring; such locking is further completed by lntving a coil spring 2]. secured with one. end to the link 14 and the other to o hook 22 fixed on the pole.

To a better understanding of the nature of the mechanism, 14 and 17' may be considered as two links with Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18. 1907- Serial No. 362.911-

vIlPaJsent-ed Nov. 5, 1907.

a knee-joint 20 resting on the pole at a point lower than the joints 15 and 18'; and 17 is an arm on one of the links. In operating the device, a cord'coble or chain 23 is secured in the hole 24 of-the arm and-extended to the erson riding on the separator or other vehicle drawn, sothat whenever he so wishes he may pull on the rope and thus uncouple from the tender by pulling lever 17 link Mend 'clevis l2 rearwardly so that the chain 5 and ring 7 may swing the lever 11 in a. direction and escape from it.

25 is a guardingblock secured upon the pole, to prevent the ring 7 from moving aecidentallytoo far back on the lever 11; the guard is preferably bifurcated so as to straddle the lever 11 and thus close contact with it even when it may get worn orthove some play in it. To couple again, the ring 7 is placed on the lever 11 and the latter is folded rearwardly while .the clevis 12 is held rearward and then the clevis is allowed to be drawn by the spring 21 into locking position again with the trigger.

- Having thus described my invention; what 1 claim is;

I. In a coupling 01 the class described, the combination with an elongated frame piece adapted to be secured on the front end of the pole of the drawn vehlcle, an L-sln1ped l(%\'il 1)l\'0l0ll to the front end. thereof and adapted to have ils long arm folded rearwardly upon the pole. a ring adapted to engage in the curve of said lever, 11 chain or like means securing said ring to the motor vehicle or its tender. and means for locking the L-shaped lever in said posiiion; said locking means consisting of a clevis pivoted at the sides of the arch the Lshnped lover, a bracket fixed upon" the pole in rear of lhe,.clevis a pair of links plvot'ed together to form a knee-joint norinallyrestlng upon the pole and having their other ends pivoted, one to the clevis and the ollier lo ihel r.-u-ket at points higher thanthe knee-joint, one oi the links having an :irmby which to throw the knee-joinl upward when the elevis is to release the L- sluipcd level". i

2. in a coupling of the class described, the combination with an elon ated frame piece adapted to be secured on the front end oi? the pole oil the drawn vehicle, an L shnped lever pivoted to the front end thereof and adapted to have 'ils long a-rm folded rearwardly upon the pole, a ring adapted to engage in the curve of said lover. a chnin or like means securing said ring io the motor vehicle or its lender. and means for locking the L-shaped lever in said position; said locking menuscon"sting of a clevis pivoted ,at. the sides of the pole and engaging with its arch the L-slmped lover, a bracket fixed upon the pole In renr of the clevis a pair of links pivoted together to form a kneejoint normally resting upon the pole and having their other en'ds pivoted, one to the clevis nud the other to the bracket at points higher than ihe.knee-joint, one ll the links having an arm by which to throw the knee-joint upward when the elevls is ,to release the L-shaped'lever,

forwardly-pointing pole and en-gaging with its and :1 spring; :iuringon the links to hold them downward l}.,";liil$l .idc-nml uncoupling.

3. in 'a upiiug of [:ie class described, the combination \viiii an elongated frame piece adapted to be secured on the from: end of the pole of the drawn vehicle, an L- shn'ped lever piJOlCll to the front end thereof and adapted to have 11s long arm folded rearwardly upon the pole, a ri :ulupivd-M englvge in the curve of said lever a. chain or like tin-nus sevnring said ring to the motor vehicle or its tender, and menus for locking the L-shaped lever in 10 said position; and a guard fixed upon the pole to keep the ring in the curved part of the lever.

In testimony whereof I afiiz' my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. IMPECOVEN. Witnesses Gus N. NORMAN, OSCAR HARLAN. 

